


Crown Jewel

by TwilightKnight17



Series: Kinktober 2020 [11]
Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Courtesan AU, Courtesan!Akira, Kissing, M-rating is for topic/situation, M/M, Power Imbalance, Prince!Goro, Shido is there for like 2 seconds, no smut yet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:40:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27034333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TwilightKnight17/pseuds/TwilightKnight17
Summary: When the king of the land demands reparations that his family cannot pay, Akira findshimselfoffered up as the payment instead. Being someone's pretty toy doesn't sound appealing, but maybe there's one person who can understand his feelings...
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira
Series: Kinktober 2020 [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949275
Comments: 37
Kudos: 137





	Crown Jewel

**Author's Note:**

> Notes: Day 15: **Prostitution** | ~~Armpit~~ | ~~Massage~~
> 
> I didn't have any good ideas for massage. :( So have this self-indulgent mush instead!

It wasn’t how Akira had imagined visiting the royal palace for the first time.

It had been a mistake. He hadn’t meant to upset the king. He’d been fooling around with Ryuji and Morgana, and it had ended with a stumble, a fall, and a very drenched King Shido.

And King Shido was not a forgiving man.

He’d demanded far more than Akira’s family could offer, and in the end, there had been no other choice. Akira’s parents had offered _him_ instead, and that, the king had accepted. Which was how he found himself in the courtesan’s wing of the palace, being fussed over by Lala, the woman in charge. Her eyes had gone wide when the guards brought him in early in the evening, and Akira had no idea why until she bustled over to start looking him over.

“Oh, you _are_ a pretty boy; you’re going to be popular here,” she said. In a flash, she’d waved off the guards and marched him down the hall to a lavish bathroom. “Go on, strip. You’re going to have to wash up to be presented to the king.”

Akira hesitated. She’d made no moves to leave; instead, she was beginning to fill the tub.

Lala turned to look at him again when she realized he wasn’t moving. “Oh, hon, this really isn’t the place to be shy. It’s nothing people aren’t going to be seeing anyway.”

He’d been doing his best to pretend that he didn’t know what being a courtesan entailed. But Lala’s comment dragged him back to reality, and he flinched, just for a moment. Lala’s expression softened into sympathy, and she came over to pat him on the shoulder. “I heard a bit about your situation,” she said. “It’s not so bad. There are rules in place to protect you, and after the novelty of a new person wears off, it’s not common for a single courtesan to be chosen incredibly frequently.”

“I just…” Akira murmured, and she mussed his hair.

“It’s all right. I promise. You just have to get through a meeting with the king. And he’s incredibly picky, so it’s not likely that he’ll call you to his room,” she said. “So go on, get clean, I’ll doll you up, and when your meeting is finished, I’ll show you _your_ room.”

“I get my own room?” Akira asked. Despite the situation, something about Lala’s presence was helping him calm down, and he pulled his shirt over his head. “I was picturing...something like barracks, I suppose.”

Lala laughed. “No, no. You’ll get your own room; not huge, but private. Courtesans stay in this wing of the palace, and no one else other than guards or myself is allowed. If you’re with someone, it will be in their room. Your space is yours.”

That didn’t sound...terrible. Akira swallowed hard and finished undressing, stepping quickly into the bath so the water offered a little cover. He jumped when Lala pulled up a chair, but she just dumped a bowl of water on his head and started working shampoo into his messy curls. It was quiet for a few minutes after that, until Akira asked tentatively, “Will I ever be able to go home?”

Another bowlful of water to rinse his hair, and then Lala said quietly, “It’s possible, but unlikely.”

“Oh.”

He shouldn’t have asked.

Once Lala deemed him clean enough, she bundled him into an oversized towel and to some sort of dressing room, where she left him drowning in the soft fabric while she went back and forth between sets of clothes, humming and occasionally pulling something out to look at it. Akira watched her search through gauzy pants that looked like they’d rip at the slightest movement, kimonos that looked barely long enough to cover anything, something made of leather straps that _definitely_ wasn’t going to cover anything…

She finally came back with an armful of clothes, setting them on the bench beside the bundled Akira and pulling out some black leggings with lace cutouts down the sides. They were basically skintight, and with the lace panel, he wasn’t going to be able to wear underwear.

“I get pants, too, right?” he asked hopefully, and she patted him on the head.

“You’re funny. Come on, time to get dressed.”

The leggings were more comfortable than they looked, thankfully, and came down to mid-calf. He felt slightly better once he wasn’t completely naked, and faced the rest of the clothes with a bitten lip and a determined gaze. There was a black halter vest that laced up the back with red cords, and he blurted, “A corset, seriously?”

“Hush. We’re trying to make you appealing. It’s the best I can do before we can get some clothes made specifically for you.” Lala laced him up, snug but not so tight that he couldn’t breathe, and passed him a pair of ruby anklets. “Put those on and let me grab a few things.”

He obeyed, and Lala returned a minute later and patted his head again. “Close your eyes. I’m going to finish getting you ready.”

“What is there left to do?” Akira asked, but obeyed.

“Little bit of makeup, little bit of hair, just sprucing you up,” Lala said. Akira felt her take one of his hands and slip a glove over it. As she did the other, she said, “I feel a little bad; I didn’t ask your name.”

“It’s...Akira. Akira Kurusu,” Akira said softly. He held still as bracelets were clasped around his wrists, and felt the weight of a necklace settle against his chest. Lala then turned her attention to his hair, wrangling his curls with what felt like the world’s pointiest comb. It scraped relentlessly against his scalp, forcing his hair into position. Fortunately, she was gentler with the makeup, brushing over his cheeks and eyelids, and smoothing gloss onto his lips.

When Akira opened his eyes, he barely recognized himself. Lala had added fingerless red gloves, and silver jewelry that dripped with rubies that matched the anklets. His hair was tamed, by some miracle, and dark liner outlined his eyes beneath the faintest sheen of silver glitter on his lids, making his grey eyes look more silver as well. She’d even managed to sneak a circlet on him at some point, and more rubies peeked from beneath his bangs.

“Are these...real?” he asked, reaching up to touch one of the gems.

“Of course. Only the best for a royal courtesan,” Lala assured him.

His reflection in the full-length mirror was beautiful; he wished it was for something better than trying to convince some asshole noble that he was a worthwhile payment to settle a debt.

“Time to go, hon,” Lala said, and Akira took a last look at himself before following her out of the dressing room, whisper-silent on bare feet. As they walked down the hall of the courtesans’ wing, she continued, “Keep your head up, got it? You’re going to be fine.”

Akira tried to remember that. As soon as they left that wing of the palace and entered the main area, he could practically _feel_ everyone staring at him. Servants curious about the new person. Guards observing, watching for threats. Other nobles eyeing him up, but keeping their distance, waiting for the king’s judgment. Akira ignored them all, keeping his gaze firmly fixed on Lala’s back as she led the way.

Eventually they came to a stop in front of a large door, and Lala waved him forward. “The guards will walk you in. Just remember to be respectful.”

“Right.” Akira nodded, choking back his nerves and following the guard that opened the door for him.

King Shido was sitting on his throne at the far end of the room. Akira felt a surge of anger at the sight of him, for forcing him into this situation, but he dropped to a kneel and waited to be acknowledged.

“What is this?” Shido asked, sounding bored.

“The new courtesan,” the guard explained. “The Kurusu boy, here to pay off his debts.”

Akira kept his head down, feeling the knot of anxiety tightening his stomach the longer Shido went without saying anything. Finally, the king said dismissively, “I have no need of him. See if my son wants him, otherwise he can just go into the general harem.”

For just a moment, Akira felt a surge of completely misplaced fury. Shido had accepted him as payment, and didn’t even want him? He was grateful that the king didn’t expect him to sleep with him, but if that was the case, why not just send him home? He’d made his point! This was just…

Punishment. Punishment, and control.

“Yes, your majesty.” The guard reached down to grab Akira’s shoulder. “Let’s go.”

He’d spoken to the king for all of thirty seconds. ‘Spoken’, not that he’d said a single word. The guard marched him back out, and as soon as the door closed, Lala clapped her hands together.

“See! No problems at all, right?”

“He’s to be brought before the prince,” the guard explained, and Lala’s sunny expression faltered.

“Ah…”

“What’s wrong with the prince?” Akira asked. The fury had vanished as quickly as it came, and now he was just anxious again.

Lala shook her head. “Nothing is wrong with Prince Goro. He’s just...picky. He’s sent back every girl and boy I’ve offered for his approval. I have no idea what he’s looking for.”

Akira looked at the floor. “So he’s not going to want me either, and then I’ll be fair game for whatever rich bastard asks for me. Great.”

“Chin up,” Lala ordered. “You don’t know that yet. You could be the person to finally go in there and charm the pants off that boy. Literally~”

“...I don’t think I have that kind of luck. Thank you, though, Miss Lala.” He lifted his head, but still didn’t meet anyone’s gaze. There was more than one reason that Prince Goro probably wouldn’t find him appealing. “I should go, I suppose.”

“I’ll cross my fingers that I don’t see you again until late tonight,” Lala teased, but her smile was kind as he turned to follow the guard.

***

Prince Goro’s suite was on the west side of the castle, the opposite of the courtesan’s rooms. Akira did his best not to shrink into himself as the guard knocked on the door to announce their presence, and could barely hear the voice coming from inside as it called, “What do you want?”

“Your father has sent a courtesan for your approval,” the guard said.

There was silence for such a long time that Akira worried the prince was going to just ignore them until they went away, but then he said, sounding resigned, “Fine. Send them in.”

The guard opened the door and urged Akira forward, so he stepped into the prince’s rooms, looking around for the prince himself as the door shut behind him. But when Prince Goro emerged from another door on the far side of the room, Akira had to actively keep his mouth from dropping open.

Lala had called him pretty, but the prince was _beautiful_. Even dressed in what Akira guessed were pajamas, since the castle seemed to be settling in for the evening, he had a clearly regal bearing, and piercing, wine-red eyes.

The prince had stopped in the doorway as well, just staring at him. “You’re...not the sort that my father usually sends me,” he said.

“Your father only wants me here because he’s making an example of me,” Akira muttered without thinking.

He only realized that he probably shouldn’t have said that once he noticed that Prince Goro’s eyes had gone wide. It made his anxiety spike; he’d been warned that the prince was picky, and backtalk was probably not doing him any favors. But to his surprise, the prince laughed, bright and genuine.

“Definitely not the sort my father usually sends,” he chuckled. “All right. Come in, I can give you a chance, at least.”

Well, he hadn’t been thrown out immediately, but as he followed the prince into his bedroom, he wondered what exactly he was getting a chance to do. There was the obvious, of course, but he had...no practical experience at all. If Prince Goro was expecting any kind of technique, he was going to be disappointed.

It occurred to him as the prince sat down on the edge of his bed that he hadn’t actually introduced himself yet. So he ducked into a hasty bow, and said quickly, “I apologize for my rudeness, your Highness. My name is Akira.”

“Akira.” Prince Goro watched him with an unaffected look that seemed oddly...rehearsed. “Well then. I’m sure that you understand how this works. If you impress me, I may keep you as my personal courtesan. If not…”

If not, he was going to be at the mercy of any noble that wanted him for a night. Admittedly, the prince might be hiding some unsavory tastes beneath his polite demeanor, but he was probably preferable to an ever-changing crowd of nameless dignitaries. Akira straightened up, trying to cock his hip and look appealing. He could fake his way through this, hopefully. “What would you like me to do for you this evening, your Highness?”

Prince Goro’s eyes raked over his body, but he said flippantly, “Just show me your talents. I only require a small demonstration.”

Great. Of course the prince was letting him pick. As if Akira had the slightest idea what he would like. ‘Small demonstration’ implied that he wasn’t expecting to fuck Akira right now, at least, so he could work with that. Hopefully a handjob would satisfy him.

“You should lie back, then,” he said, hoping he sounded flirtatious. “Just relax and let me do all the work~” Maybe Prince Goro wouldn’t even try to touch him.

“Very well.” Prince Goro scooted back, sprawling against the pillows, but he didn’t look very comfortable, and as Akira tried to climb onto the bed as gracefully as possible, he realized he had no idea where to start. It seemed a bit crude to go right for his pants, but he’d been given no boundaries. Was starting with a kiss across some kind of line? Probably. This wasn’t supposed to be romantic. But it didn’t seem right to just start taking his clothes off either.

He settled beside the prince and reached up, trying not to hesitate. His fingertips found Prince Goro’s collarbone where it was barely visible above the neckline of his shirt. The prince jumped a little, his eyes locking on Akira’s hand, but Akira just trailed it down his chest before he could lose his nerve. “You seem a little tense, your Highness.”

“I’m letting a stranger touch me,” Prince Goro countered. After a moment, he added, “And I have no idea if you’re going to do a good job.”

“You’re the one who wanted me to prove myself.” Akira pressed his hand flat against the prince’s stomach, then reached under his shirt to stroke over his waist. “But you can still tell me if you want me to do something specific. Or if you don’t like something.”

Prince Goro dragged his gaze away from Akira’s hand to his face, looking puzzled. But then he jumped again as Akira reached for the tie of his pants, and Akira drew back.

“...are you okay?” he asked, and the prince looked away, flustered.

“Of course I am. I didn’t tell you to stop.”

“No, you’ve just flinched almost every time I’ve touched you.”

“I have not.”

“Yes, you have.” Akira sighed, sitting back. “Something’s clearly wrong; you’re acting like…” But he trailed off, realizing what he was about to say, and tilted his head. “...like you’ve never done this before.”

The prince didn’t respond right away, and that was a dead giveaway.

“Oh my god. You’ve never done this before,” Akira repeated incredulously. “Lala-chan said you’ve turned down everyone she’s sent; you’re not picky, you’re a _virgin_.”

Prince Goro’s eyes flashed with sheer murder, and he shoved himself upright. “I hope you don’t think your smart mouth is endearing. For that insult, we’ll see how you like playing whore for the prisoners in the dungeon.”

He swung his legs over the side of the bed, and in a panic, Akira grabbed his wrist to keep him from leaving. “No, no,” he said quickly, frantically. God, he’d screwed up. He had to fix this somehow. “Please, wait, I didn’t mean it as an insult, I am too!”

Prince Goro jerked away from him, cradling his hand to his chest like Akira’s touch had burned him. “You’re lying.”

“No, I’m not!” Akira insisted. “I was faking; I didn’t want you to throw me out. I have no fucking idea what I’m doing.”

They stared at each other from opposite sides of the bed, tension crackling between them, and then Prince Goro sighed. “That...probably explains how you were acting.” When Akira just looked confused, he continued, “There have been other courtesans sent to me that my father thought I would like. And a few times, if they seemed interesting, I asked them to prove themselves, the same way I asked you. And every single one was so eager to show off for the prince that they didn’t bother to make sure I was enjoying it. I had to order them to stop and throw them out before they got anywhere significant.”

Akira frowned. “...I was worried about nobles not caring what a lowly courtesan wanted or liked. I didn’t really imagine it happening the other way around. That sounds terrible.”

“I had them thrown in the dungeon for a while, and then removed from the castle entirely.” Prince Goro sat back on the bed, but he was still watching Akira warily. “It’s given me a reputation, but I refuse to be manhandled by the equivalent of servants. ...no offense.”

“...none taken, I guess?” Akira laughed awkwardly. “But yeah, I don’t blame you. Someone with that little regard for your feelings probably isn’t good to keep around.” He hesitated. “...will you keep me around?”

The prince sighed. “You’re...different than anyone I’ve met so far,” he admitted. “And perhaps if I claim you as my personal courtesan, my father will stop sending me candidates.” 

His expression was much softer than it had been before, his body language starting to relax, and Akira found himself unconsciously mirroring him. “I’d be...honored, your highness. And grateful, to avoid being at the mercy of anyone that requests me.” It was the truth. “And… I hope I’m not being too forward, but… maybe we could figure out how this goes together.” He gestured at the bed, hoping that the prince understood what he meant.

Prince Goro arched an eyebrow, but then he sat back against the pillows again and beckoned to Akira. When Akira crawled over to him, he curled a hand around the back of his neck, drawing him close enough to brush their lips together. It was warm, soft, and Akira leaned into it, pressing closer. The kisses stayed chaste, compared to how Akira had thought he’d be spending his evening, and Prince Goro pulled away after only a minute or two, a tiny smile on his face.

“You’ll do.” He motioned for Akira to lay down next to him. “Now, I want to hear about how you came to be here,” he said.

Akira sank into luxurious pillows beside the Crown Prince, barely able to understand how he’d gotten to this point. But he explained how he’d ended up brought to the palace as a courtesan for King Shido’s amusement, and Prince Goro looked disgusted.

“That is the sort of thing he would do,” he huffed. “Well, you’re mine now. I’ll have you marked so that no one else lays their hands on you.”

That shouldn’t be as reassuring as it was, but Akira was comforted by the sentiment anyway. The prince reached out, delicately brushing his fingers through Akira’s curls, then said quietly, “You should return to your room for the night. Miss Lala is very protective of her courtesans. I’ll have a guard escort you back.”

He walked Akira to the door, giving him a final kiss before opening it. “Goodnight, Akira. I’ll see you soon.”

“Goodnight, your highness.”

Akira trailed the guard back to the other wing of the castle, his mind drifting as Lala took over and showed him to his room. It was a nice room, but he barely saw it, lost in thought.

He was actually looking forward to seeing the prince again.


End file.
